Known Secrets
by claire200
Summary: Takes pace after 'IWRU'. Buffy left Sunnydale a few months after the epiode took place, built a life for herself and daughter. All her friends think that she is died, Until she goes to LA on business and her daughter is kidnapped.


UnKnown Secrets

Part 1

Pru?" the soft voice asked at the door to Pru Halliwell's office.

The dark haired woman looked up from some documents on her desk, her face breaking into a smile as she recognized the speaker. "Buffy! What are you doing here...we didn't call you did we?"

Buffy Summers, Slayer, shook her head and stepped more fully into the office, the heels of her boots clicking on the wood floor. "Nah. This is more of a social call than one of business." Smiling, Buffy sank into one of the chairs facing Pru, giving a contented sigh as she sat back in the chair. "Its good to get a chance to sit...I don't have much time for that anymore."

Pru laughed, and opened her mouth to speak just as the phone rang shrilly on her desk. Throwing an apologetic look at her friend, she picked the phone up. "This shouldn't be long."

"Do you want me to leave?" "No, just sit and relax...Pru Halliwell."

Nodding, Buffy leaned into the back of the chair, looking around Pru's office. Even though she'd been there multiple times in the almost 5 years they'd known each other, there was always something new to look at. Buffy sighed again, this one heavy with memories. It was almost 5 years since she'd left Sunnydale.

She'd left about a month after her 19th birthday. She hadn't been able to stay any longer, no matter what the others tried to tell her. Willow, Xander, Giles, and Riley. None of them, try as they might, had changed her mind. They had all been very surprised when she'd gathered them at Giles's to inform them that she was dropping out of college and moving to parts unknown and untold. Willow had tried to guilt her, Xander had just yelled at her, Riley had smothered her in declarations of love, and Giles had thrown the Slayer card.

Little did they know that she'd been visiting Faith at the hospital, just about everyday. Just before Christmas, she'd come out of the coma, and Buffy had been helping her get back in shape. She hadn't known she'd been leaving when she'd started helping her kin-sister, but something inside her had told her it was right. Faith was more subdued now, repentant, and was looking at life in a whole new way. The others, well, hadn't taken to the idea, but she was the only choice.

So with everything settled, she'd packed a few of her bags and had loaded up the Durango her father had sent to her for Christmas, just before he'd been killed in a car crash. His death had been somewhat bittersweet, having not seen him in almost a year, but his inheritance had been the factor telling her that she would be able to leave, without having to live in a dingy room. She'd gone to San Francisco, knowing that she could go home if desperately needed, but that it would probably not happen.

That was five years ago. With the money her father had left her, she'd found a modest Victorian style house, and had set up house, and shop. Using her battle knowledge and street skills, she gave self-defense lessons at a local dojo, and did some free-lance appraisal on weaponry. The appraising had brought her to Pru, who had come into possession of a demon's hand-ax. The two, and Pru's sisters, Phoebe and Piper, had then found out about the other's 'secret' life, and they'd been friends ever since.

"Buff? You all right?"

"Huh? Oh sorry. I was just thinking."

"You zoned. I've been off the phone for at least 2 minutes. Now what kind of social call is this? Weren't you coming over later for dinner?"

"Yea, well, that's sort of the reason I'm here. I'm going to have to cancel. I got a call this morning from a contact in L.A. One of the big auction houses down there just got a shipment in of weaponry, and I was suggested for the job. I'm leaving tonight."

Pru gave her a puzzled look. "They're that anxious to get you down there that you have to go tonight? What's going on?"

Buffy sighed. "I've also gotten word of some weird going ons. I want to check it out."

"Buffy, you were officially retired as Slayer three years ago. Your twenty-first birthday, remember? Why do you keep doing it? You're not obligated anymore...another Slayer was activated...you have a normal life, a good job, a..."

I can't help it. It's in my blood I guess. Anyway, I don't do any big end-of-the-world-things anymore. I don't want to take that chance." Buffy shrugged offhandedly. "So I wanted to tell you that I wouldn't be able to make it, and to ask if..."

"We'd watch Erinne for you?" interrupted Pru. Buffy nodded. "Sure. We love having her over. Bring her to the house before you leave."

"Thanks Pru. I owe you," replied Buffy, standing up. "I'd better go. I need to pack my stuff and Erinne's. We'll see you around 6?"

Pru nodded. "Um, Buffy, I hate to bring this up, but, doesn't Erinne's father live in L.A. ?"

Buffy stilled, her hand on the doorknob. Defeated, she leaned her head against the door. Why had she ever broken down that night and told the sisters the full story? "As far as I know. He might have moved on by now. I didn't hear from him after that incident...and then, well I left with no forwarding address."

"Are you going to see him?" Pru's voice was kind, gentle. "He deserves to know Buffy."

"I know. I know he does. As for seeing him. I honestly don't know. I'll see you tonight Pru."

With that, Buffy exited the office, almost on auto-pilot, till she reached the quiet solitarity of her car, where the tears began to pour. Even after almost 6 years, the thought of Angel still had the ability to hurt her. It didn't help any that when she'd come home from seeing him that Thanksgiving that she'd been plagued by reoccurring dreams of Angel being human. They'd gone on for nearly 3 months. The dreams had stopped completely when she'd found out that she was pregnant. When faced with the tiny pink plus sign, the knowledge that the day had truly happened had become to clear to her. She'd lived that one day with Angel. Had it taken away in another one of his attempts to decide how he thought her life should be. And had been given his child.The child within her had been the spark that had made her leave. Although she had been thinking about it for months, it had been her final reason. Tired of playing the game that her life was perfect, tired of putting on a happy face every time she was near her friends, tired of pretending that Riley was the perfect guy for her. She wanted her child to have a safe, happy life, away from the hellmouth. So she left, not telling anyone of the child growing inside her. The only one who knew was Faith, who had sworn to never tell after finding her with a nasty bout of morning sickness. The two Slayers, even with everything that had transpired between them, had grown close in the few months that Buffy had been there. Close possibly, because they had more in common than first thought.

Faith had been there when Erinne had been born. She'd been the only one from Sunnydale that Buffy had kept in contact with. She'd been the only one Buffy had trusted to not spill her secret if Angel ever showed up. She didn't know why she hadn't wanted him to know...no...yes she did. If he had found out, he would have wanted to do the noble thing and come back to her. She didn't want that. It was easier to let him think she'd given up. Easier to let them all think that she had died. Her retirement at twenty-one had been told to her by way of a left winged Council member. They'd been willing to let her keep fighting without informing her of her new status, but the Watcher had taken pity on her. No one but the Council, Buffy and the Halliwell Sisters knew. Her friends all thought she was dead.


End file.
